SEO vs AI SEO / GEO / AI visibility

SEO vs AI SEO: Traditional SEO vs AI Search in 2026

SEO and AI SEO are not competing strategies. Traditional SEO helps pages rank in classic search results and earn clicks. AI SEO helps content, brand facts, and proof get selected, cited, or summarized inside AI-generated answers such as Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude, and Copilot. In practice, AI SEO adds prompt research, source clarity, crawler access, entity consistency, citation tracking, and third-party corroboration on top of the normal SEO foundation.

  • Traditional SEO vs AI SEO
  • SEO vs GEO and AEO
  • AI Overviews SEO requirements
  • ChatGPT and Perplexity crawler access

Use it to decide whether the first useful move is SEO cleanup, AI visibility work, or a combined pilot with clear measurement.

AuthorAndrii Daniv

Reviewed byAndrii Daniv

Last updatedMay 2026

Quick answer

SEO vs AI SEO: the direct answer

Traditional search and AI search need one visibility workflow with different checks.

Traditional SEO helps pages rank in classic search results and earn qualified clicks. AI SEO helps content, brand facts, and proof get selected, cited, or summarized inside AI-generated answers from systems like Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude, and Copilot.

In practice, AI SEO adds prompt research, source clarity, crawler access, entity consistency, citation tracking, and third-party corroboration on top of the normal SEO foundation. The first decision is which layer is weak now: the SEO base, the source layer, or both.

Use traditional SEO services when the foundation is weak. Use AI SEO and GEO services when the source layer is weak. Start with an AI Visibility Audit when you need to diagnose where AI visibility is weak, or an AI Visibility Snapshot when you need prompt, crawler, source, and citation evidence before committing to a larger scope. Google's starter guidance also says to use the words people would use and place them in prominent locations such as titles, headings, links, and alt text. Google source

Traditional SEO

  • Rankings
  • Organic clicks
  • Crawlability
  • Indexation
  • Search intent
  • Internal links
  • Backlinks
  • Conversions

AI SEO

  • AI mentions
  • Citations
  • Prompt visibility
  • Source clarity
  • Entity consistency
  • Crawler access
  • External corroboration
  • Accurate summaries

At a glance

Traditional SEO vs AI SEO: compact comparison

This is the shortest practical read before choosing SEO cleanup, AI search optimization, or both.

QuestionTraditional SEOAI SEO
Main goalRank pages and earn clicksBe mentioned, cited, or summarized in AI answers
User behaviorSearch, scan SERP, clickAsk a conversational prompt, receive a synthesized answer
Optimization unitPages, keywords, internal links, backlinksPrompts, entities, answer blocks, source proof, citations
Content styleIntent-matched pagesSelf-contained, extractable, answer-ready sections
MetricsRankings, impressions, CTR, traffic, conversionsAI mentions, citations, source mix, sentiment, AI referrals
Best first useWeak rankings, crawl/indexation gaps, missing BOFU pagesCompetitors appear in AI answers, brand is misdescribed, proof is missing

Definitions

What is traditional SEO?

Traditional SEO is the work that helps pages become crawlable, understandable, rankable, and commercially useful in classic search results.

Traditional SEO covers the technical, content, authority, and conversion work needed for a page or site to earn visibility in search engines. It still matters because AI search systems need accessible, trusted, and well-structured source material before they can reuse it.

Traditional SEO usually includes

  • Technical SEO
  • Content mapped to search intent
  • Internal links
  • Backlinks and authority
  • SERP visibility
  • Conversions from organic demand

The output

Better crawl and indexation, stronger SERP visibility, clearer page intent, more qualified organic visits, and a better path from search demand to enquiries, pipeline, or revenue.

Definitions

What is AI SEO?

AI SEO is not using AI tools to write SEO content. It is optimizing brand and content visibility inside AI-assisted answers.

AI SEO helps AI systems access, understand, verify, cite, and summarize the right pages, facts, and proof. It adds work around prompts, entities, crawler access, source consistency, answer-ready sections, and third-party corroboration.

AI SEO usually includes

  • AI search optimization
  • AI visibility and citations
  • Prompt research
  • Entity consistency
  • Crawler access
  • Third-party corroboration

The output

Stronger ChatGPT search visibility, Perplexity SEO readiness, AI Overviews SEO eligibility, clearer brand facts, more citable proof, and fewer wrong or stale summaries about the company.

Definitions

Is AI SEO the same as GEO and AEO?

Most businesses need one workflow that covers classic search, generative answers, and direct-answer surfaces.

AI SEO is the broad commercial term. GEO, or generative engine optimization, usually refers to getting cited or used by generative AI systems. AEO, or answer engine optimization, usually refers to formatting content so it can be used in direct answer experiences such as AI Overviews, snippets, and answer engines. In practice, most businesses need one combined workflow rather than three separate strategies.

TermPractical meaning
AI SEOThe broad commercial term for making a brand, content, proof, and pages more visible and accurate in AI-assisted search and answer systems.
GEOGenerative engine optimization, usually used for work that helps generative AI systems find, use, or cite the right source material.
AEOAnswer engine optimization, usually used for formatting content so it can support direct answers, snippets, AI Overviews, and answer engines.

Methodology

How this SEO vs AI SEO guide was researched and reviewed

The page is written as a decision guide with claims tied back to official crawler guidance, Google AI-feature requirements, Etavrian case-study proof, and the checks we would use before recommending SEO cleanup, AI visibility work, or both.

Author and reviewer

Andrii Daniv is the founder of Etavrian. Public profile evidence lists 8+ years in SEO and PPC across ecommerce, SaaS, local business, and B2B work. The page links to public case studies instead of using unsupported authority claims.

Author profile | Public case studies | BOFU SEO case study

Research checks

  • Primary-source docs were checked for Google AI features, OpenAI crawlers, Perplexity crawlers, Anthropic crawlers, and Article structured data.
  • Commercial recommendations are separated from technical eligibility requirements.
  • Crawler advice separates search visibility, user-triggered retrieval, and model-training policy.
  • Case-study proof uses public Etavrian URLs and visible metrics rather than invented examples.

Changelog

  • Updated May 2026: added the exact SEO vs AI SEO title and direct answer intro.
  • Updated May 2026: added Google AI Mode and AI Overviews eligibility checks.
  • Updated May 2026: expanded OpenAI, Perplexity, and Anthropic crawler distinctions.
  • Updated May 2026: added GEO/AEO definitions, prompt benchmark matrix, and measurement guidance.

Evidence caveat

This version does not claim a completed 50-prompt public study or show AI-answer screenshots until the underlying prompts, dated screenshots, and source logs are captured. That keeps the page useful without adding fake proof.

What changed

What changed with AI search, and what did not

The useful answer to market skepticism is that the fundamentals stayed, but the output changed.

The fundamentals did not disappear. Crawlable pages, clear structure, helpful content, internal links, authority, and technical health still matter. Google's guidance for AI features says normal SEO best practices remain relevant for AI Overviews and AI Mode. Google source

What changed is the output. Traditional SEO competes for rankings and clicks. AI SEO competes for source selection, mentions, citations, and accurate summaries inside AI-generated answers. That means prompt research, entity consistency, source clarity, off-site corroboration, and citation measurement become part of the workflow.

What did not changeWhat changed
Pages still need to be crawlable and indexableAI systems may synthesize answers before the user clicks
Helpful, accurate content still mattersSections must be extractable and self-contained
Internal links still help discovery and contextPrompt research complements keyword research
Authority still mattersUnlinked brand mentions, reviews, profiles, and public proof matter more
SEO metrics still matterAI mentions, citations, sentiment, and source mix need tracking

Decision

Use SEO when the foundation is weak. Use AI SEO when the source layer is weak. Use both when buyers compare before they click.

You likely need SEO first

Your pages are not ranking, not indexed, technically unstable, duplicated, cannibalized, slow, or disconnected from commercial intent. Fix crawlability, architecture, internal links, page quality, and BOFU coverage before layering AI visibility work.

You likely need AI SEO first

Your rankings are acceptable, but AI tools cite competitors, describe your offer incorrectly, ignore your proof, or pull from weaker third-party sources. Start with prompt benchmarking, source-gap mapping, entity cleanup, and citation-ready page briefs.

You likely need both

Your traffic is flattening, CTR is dropping, comparison queries matter, and buyers need proof before they speak with sales. Keep SEO fundamentals active while rebuilding priority pages for extraction, verification, and assisted decision-making.

Comparison

SEO vs AI SEO: key differences in the work

AreaTraditional SEOAI SEO / GEO / AI visibility
Primary goalRank pages and earn qualified organic clicksGet the brand, pages, and proof selected or cited inside AI-assisted answers
User behaviorSearch, scan results, click a pageAsk a longer question, compare options, receive a synthesized answer, then maybe click
Core unit of workPages, keywords, clusters, links, technical fixesPrompts, entities, source material, citations, answer assets, source gaps
Technical foundationCrawlability, indexation, canonicals, sitemaps, speed, schema, internal linksEverything from SEO, plus AI crawler access, readable HTML, snippet eligibility, WAF/CDN checks, source consistency
Content formatSearch-intent pages, service pages, category pages, guides, product pagesAnswer-first blocks, comparison logic, proof sections, concise definitions, dated facts, citations, author/source clarity
Authority signalsBacklinks, topical authority, internal links, user behavior, brand signalsOwned source of truth, third-party corroboration, reviews, directories, expert profiles, media, consensus sources
ReportingRankings, impressions, clicks, CTR, conversions, assisted revenuePrompt visibility, citation frequency, source mix, competitor displacement, sentiment, cited URLs, AI referrals, assisted leads
Main risk if ignoredSite stays invisible or underperforms in Google/BingAI tools summarize the category without you, misdescribe you, or cite competitors

AI SEO is not "write more AI content." It is the operating layer that makes existing SEO, content, PR, reviews, and proof easier for modern search systems to verify and reuse.

Workflow

Traditional SEO vs AI SEO: what changes in the actual work?

WorkflowTraditional SEO versionAI SEO version
ResearchFind keywords with demand, intent, and ranking opportunityMap buyer prompts, comparison questions, and AI answer patterns
TechnicalFix crawlability, indexation, canonicals, redirects, sitemap, schema, performance, and internal linksKeep those fixes, then check AI crawler access, readable HTML, WAF/CDN blocks, renderability, and snippet eligibility
ContentBuild pages around search intent, keyword clusters, service pages, category pages, and BOFU assetsBuild answer-ready sections that define, compare, summarize, cite proof, and explain tradeoffs
AuthorityEarn backlinks and improve topical authorityEarn backlinks plus third-party mentions, reviews, directories, expert profiles, case studies, and corroborating sources
MeasurementTrack rankings, impressions, CTR, traffic, assisted conversions, and leadsTrack AI mentions, citations, cited URLs, source mix, competitor inclusion, sentiment, AI referrals where visible, and assisted lead quality

Crawler access

AI crawler access: visibility and training are separate decisions

Review robots.txt by purpose: search visibility, user-triggered retrieval, and model-training policy.

For Google AI Overviews and AI Mode, the page still needs normal Search eligibility. Google says pages must be indexed and eligible to appear with a snippet to be shown as supporting links in AI features. Google source

For ChatGPT search visibility, OpenAI documents OAI-SearchBot as the search crawler. OpenAI also documents GPTBot separately for model-training use, and ChatGPT-User for user-triggered actions. A site owner can allow OAI-SearchBot for search visibility while disallowing GPTBot to signal that content should not be used for training OpenAI foundation models. OpenAI source

For Perplexity visibility, Perplexity documents PerplexityBot as the crawler used to surface and link websites in Perplexity search results. If a Web Application Firewall blocks legitimate crawler traffic, Perplexity recommends allowlisting using current official IP ranges. Perplexity source

Anthropic documents separate crawlers for training, search, and user-requested fetches. That keeps the decision logic consistent: allow the retrieval paths you need for AI visibility, and block training paths only when that matches the business policy. Anthropic source

GoalAllowOptional blockCheck
Appear in Google AI Overviews or AI ModeGooglebotDo not use nosnippet, restrictive max-snippet, or accidental noindexSearch Console URL Inspection, rendered HTML, canonical, snippet controls
Appear in ChatGPT search answersOAI-SearchBotGPTBot, if you do not want training userobots.txt, server logs, OpenAI IP ranges
Support user-triggered ChatGPT retrievalChatGPT-UserBusiness-policy dependentLogs and user-agent behavior
Appear in Perplexity resultsPerplexityBot and Perplexity-UserTraining not applicable to Perplexity-User per Perplexity docsWAF/CDN rules, official IP JSON endpoints, logs
Support Claude search and user-requested retrievalClaude-SearchBot and Claude-UserClaudeBot, if you do not want training userobots.txt, server logs, Anthropic source IP list where applicable

Google AI features

Google AI Overviews and AI Mode requirements for SEO work

Google's own AI-feature guidance says the same foundational SEO best practices remain relevant for AI Overviews and AI Mode. Supporting links still need indexed, snippet-eligible pages, and AI-feature links are reported in Search Console under the Web search type. Google source

AI Overviews and AI Mode may also use query fan-out across related searches and sources. One answer can be shaped by service pages, comparison pages, pricing pages, case studies, author profiles, reviews, third-party profiles, and external mentions. Google source

AI visibility depends on the source architecture around the page, not one isolated article.

Minimum eligibility for Google AI features
  • Page returns HTTP 200.
  • Page is indexable and canonicalized to the preferred URL.
  • Page is eligible to show a snippet.
  • Important content is available as visible text.
  • Internal links point to the page with descriptive anchors.
  • Structured data matches visible content.
  • There is no restrictive nosnippet, max-snippet, or accidental noindex.
  • The page has enough supporting sources, proof, and context to survive query fan-out.

Execution

How to optimize a page for both SEO and AI SEO

Keep the page useful for classic search, then make each section clear enough to stand alone as source material.

Page-level checklist
  • Use exact query language in the title, H1, first paragraph, and descriptive internal anchors.
  • Start each H2 section with a direct answer before nuance.
  • Write self-contained paragraphs that make sense without the rest of the article.
  • Use comparison tables, definitions, checklists, and examples where they reduce ambiguity.
  • Add source links for factual claims and keep structured data aligned with visible content.
  • Show author, date, review, and methodology signals on the page.
  • Create proof assets: case studies, pricing pages, comparison pages, review profiles, and third-party mentions.
  • Track both search metrics and AI visibility metrics instead of reporting one layer alone.

Measurement

How to measure SEO vs AI SEO

Measure classic search health, AI inclusion, and commercial demand in the same report.

LayerMetricsWhat the metrics decide
Traditional SEORankings, impressions, CTR, clicks, organic sessions, conversions, assisted revenue, indexation, technical healthShows whether classic search visibility and page quality are improving.
AI SEOAI mentions, citations, cited URLs, source mix, competitor inclusion, sentiment, AI referrals, answer accuracyShows whether AI systems can find, trust, and reuse the right source material.
Shared business layerLead quality, qualified enquiries, assisted pipeline, BOFU page engagement, branded demand, sales feedbackShows whether visibility creates commercially useful demand rather than more reporting noise.

Prompt benchmark

50-prompt SEO vs AI SEO benchmark matrix

Run a repeatable prompt basket before claiming AI search movement.

A useful benchmark should cover definitions, comparisons, vendor-selection prompts, technical crawler questions, and measurement questions across ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, and Google AI Overviews. The table shows the prompt classes to test and the SEO work each class usually exposes.

Prompt typeExample promptSource types to recordWhat this means for SEO
DefinitionWhat is AI SEO?Guides, glossaries, tool blogs, official help pagesAdd precise definitions, source links, and a plain distinction from using AI tools for SEO.
ComparisonTraditional SEO vs AI SEOComparison articles, agency guides, education pagesUse tables and direct contrast so AI systems can extract the difference without guessing.
Vendor selectionBest AI SEO agency for B2B SaaSDirectories, reviews, case studies, service pages, expert profilesBuild proof, review profiles, and third-party mentions around the real selection criteria.
TechnicalShould I allow GPTBot?Official crawler docs, robots.txt guides, CDN/WAF documentationSeparate search visibility bots from model-training bots and check logs before changing access.
MeasurementHow to measure AI SEO?Tool guides, analytics docs, agency reporting pagesDefine AI visibility metrics clearly and report them next to classic SEO metrics.

Proof

Proof from real SEO work: when CTR fell, BOFU SEO still grew leads

Lower-click search does not mean abandoning SEO. Priority pages still need to be easier to crawl, understand, trust, and convert.

In one B2B SaaS SEO engagement, we treated qualified demo requests from BOFU pages as the constraint while the site was dealing with lower CTR dynamics. Etavrian BOFU SEO case study

We prioritized indexation, canonicals, robots and sitemap cleanup, Core Web Vitals, schema, de-cannibalization, BOFU landing pages, internal links, CRO, and link quality.

The result: impressions grew from 132,000 to 378,000, Top-ten keyword share increased from 9.29 percent to 18.12 percent, healthy pages grew from 167 to 580, pages with issues dropped from 384 to 139, and lead-driving GA4 events increased even as CTR fell from 4.5 percent to 1.2 percent.

The practical read is simple: when clicks compress, SEO still has to make priority pages easier to crawl, easier to understand, easier to trust, and better at converting the clicks that still arrive.

GSC impressions132k to 378k
Top-ten keyword share9.29% to 18.12%
Healthy pages167 to 580
Pages with issues384 to 139
CTR4.5% to 1.2%

Investment order

Should you invest in SEO, AI SEO, or both first?

SituationBest first moveReason
Pages are not indexed, duplicated, slow, or cannibalizedSEO firstAI systems still need accessible and trustworthy source material
You rank but AI tools cite competitorsAI SEO firstThe ranking layer is working, but the source and citation layer is weak
Traffic is stable but leads are weakBOFU SEO plus CROVisibility is the wrong first fix when the page cannot convert
Buyers ask comparison questions before contacting youSEO plus AI SEO togetherYou need classic search visibility and answer-level inclusion
AI tools misdescribe your companyEntity cleanup plus source updatesThe public source layer is inconsistent
You have no proof pages or case studiesProof architecture firstAI systems need verifiable support for claims

Examples

Examples of how the SEO vs AI SEO decision changes by business type

B2B SaaS

Traditional SEO priority

BOFU use-case pages, comparison pages, technical cleanup, product terminology, internal links

AI SEO priority

Prompt visibility for vendor comparisons, category definitions, alternatives, pricing questions, case-study extraction

Ecommerce

Traditional SEO priority

Category pages, product feeds, crawl budget, variants, collection pages, reviews, Merchant Center data

AI SEO priority

Product/entity clarity, buying-guide answers, review corroboration, fit/use-case pages, comparison visibility

Local or service business

Traditional SEO priority

Location pages, service pages, Google Business Profile, reviews, local citations, technical health

AI SEO priority

Consistent entity data, service proof, review summaries, local comparison prompts, directory consistency

Agency or consulting firm

Traditional SEO priority

Service pages, case studies, pricing clarity, founder profile, internal links, topical authority

AI SEO priority

Brand mentions in AI recommendations, prompt testing, third-party profiles, expert quotes, proof extraction

90-day path

A practical 90-day path for SEO + AI SEO

Days 1-15: Baseline and blockers

Build the prompt set, check traditional search visibility, review GSC/GA4/Bing data, inspect crawl and indexation issues, test AI-search mentions, and map which sources shape competitor visibility.

DeliverablesPrompt basket, technical blocker list, source-gap map, priority page shortlist, first measurement dashboard.

Days 16-45: Rebuild the first source-ready assets

Fix the highest-priority access issues, rebuild commercial pages around direct answers and proof, improve internal links, clarify entity facts, and prepare comparison, FAQ, methodology, or case-study assets.

DeliverablesPage briefs, implementation tickets, proof sections, FAQ blocks, internal link updates, source-of-truth edits.

Days 46-90: Retest, corroborate, and scale what moves

Retest prompts, compare competitor displacement, review source mix, clean external profiles, sequence legitimate PR/review/community opportunities, and decide whether the next cycle should focus on technical cleanup, content, CRO, or source authority.

DeliverablesCitation movement report, source updates, next backlog, lead-quality review, 90-day continuation plan.

Starting point

Start with the smallest useful diagnosis

If the problem is unclear, start with the diagnostic that matches the decision before discussing a larger retainer.

SEO audit

Best for technical issues, traffic drops, weak rankings, indexation, content gaps, competitor pressure.

SEO audit pricing

AI Visibility Snapshot

Best for AI tools citing competitors, unclear source mix, brand misrepresentation, prompt visibility gaps, entity inconsistency.

AI Visibility Snapshot

AI visibility bottleneck map

Best when the bottleneck is unclear across SEO, AI visibility, CRO, proof, reporting, or implementation speed.

Check AI Visibility Gaps

If you already know the constraint, go straight to SEO audit pricing or the AI Visibility Snapshot. If you need the checklist first, use the AI Visibility Audit. If the constraint spans channels, send the site and growth goal.

Advice filter

Bad AI SEO advice to avoid

Bad advice

Publish more AI content

Better approach

Publish fewer, clearer, more verifiable pages that answer real buyer questions and connect to proof.

Bad advice

Block all AI bots

Better approach

Separate training, search, and user-triggered retrieval decisions. OpenAI and Perplexity document different crawlers for different purposes.

Bad advice

Schema alone gets you cited

Better approach

Schema supports clarity, but AI systems need visible, useful, corroborated content.

Bad advice

SEO is dead

Better approach

Google's own AI-feature guidance says SEO best practices remain relevant and that supporting links need indexed, snippet-eligible pages.

Bad advice

Rankings stopped mattering

Better approach

Rankings still matter, but they are only one visibility surface. Track rankings and AI mentions together.

FAQ

Questions before you choose SEO, AI SEO, or both

Short answers, no hype, and no fake guarantees.

What is the difference between SEO and AI SEO?

Traditional SEO optimizes pages for rankings and qualified clicks in classic search results. AI SEO optimizes brand and page information for inclusion, citation, and accurate summarization in AI-generated answers.

Is AI SEO the same as using AI tools for SEO?

No. Using AI tools can speed up research, briefs, clustering, and diagnostics, but AI SEO is primarily about visibility inside AI-assisted search systems. It includes prompt research, source clarity, crawler access, entity consistency, external corroboration, and citation measurement.

Does AI SEO replace traditional SEO?

No. AI SEO adds a visibility layer above traditional SEO. Google says normal SEO best practices remain relevant for AI Overviews and AI Mode, and eligible pages still need to be indexed and snippet-eligible. Treat AI SEO as an added layer, not a replacement for the SEO foundation.

What is the difference between AI SEO, GEO, and AEO?

AI SEO is the broad commercial term. GEO usually means generative engine optimization, or getting cited and used by generative AI systems. AEO usually means answer engine optimization, or structuring content for direct answer experiences such as AI Overviews, snippets, and answer engines.

How do you optimize for Google AI Overviews?

Start with normal Search eligibility: HTTP 200, indexable, snippet-eligible, internally linked pages with important content visible as text. Then improve source depth with clear definitions, comparison sections, proof, structured data that matches the page, and enough context for query fan-out.

How do you optimize for ChatGPT search?

Keep the page crawlable, useful, and source-clear. If ChatGPT search visibility matters, review OAI-SearchBot access separately from GPTBot training policy, then track cited URLs, brand accuracy, source mix, and whether ChatGPT sends visible referral traffic.

Should I allow OAI-SearchBot, GPTBot, PerplexityBot, and ClaudeBot?

Decide by purpose. OAI-SearchBot is for ChatGPT search. GPTBot is for OpenAI model-training crawling. PerplexityBot is used for Perplexity search results. ClaudeBot is associated with Anthropic training use, while Claude-SearchBot and Claude-User are separate access paths. Review official docs, robots.txt, WAF rules, and logs before changing access.

How do you measure AI SEO?

Measure prompt visibility, AI mentions, cited URLs, source mix, competitor inclusion, sentiment, brand accuracy, AI referrals where visible, and assisted lead quality. Keep traditional SEO metrics like rankings, impressions, CTR, traffic, and conversions in the same reporting view.

Can AI SEO improve traffic or only visibility?

It can improve traffic when AI systems cite links that users click, but traffic is not the only useful signal. AI SEO can also improve brand accuracy, assisted demand, shortlist inclusion, and the quality of the sources that describe the company before a buyer visits the site.

Should small businesses invest in AI SEO or traditional SEO first?

If rankings, indexation, crawlability, page quality, or BOFU coverage are weak, traditional SEO usually comes first. If the site already has a useful SEO base but AI tools cite competitors, misdescribe the brand, or miss the proof, AI SEO becomes the better first diagnostic.

Next step

Decide which visibility layer is weak first

Send the site, current organic problem, and one growth goal. The first useful move is choosing between SEO cleanup, an AI Visibility Snapshot, or a combined 90-day pilot.